Jay Carney, former top executive at Amazon named head of policy at Airbnb

As Amazon deals with a shifting consumer environment and more regulatory scrutiny, Jay Carney, the company’s top policy and communications officer and a former White House spokesperson, has been hired director of policy at Airbnb. This is another high-profile departure for Amazon.

Carney, who worked as President Barack Obama’s press secretary, will join Airbnb’s executive team and collaborate with co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, the business announced in a blog post on Friday.

Chesky wrote in the article, “Jay has experience working at the highest levels of both government and technology, acting as a strategic advisor to the President, and at one of the largest software businesses in the world.

In September, Carney will join Airbnb in Washington, D.C.

Since Andy Jassy succeeded founder Jeff Bezos as CEO last summer, Amazon has witnessed a succession of exits. After 23 years with the firm, Dave Clark, the top executive of Amazon’s consumer division who oversaw a significant increase in the company’s logistical network, resigned this month. Doug Herrington, a different executive who assisted in the 2017 launch of Amazon Fresh, took Clark’s post. Clark will join the logistics company Flexport in September.

Carney began working for Amazon seven years ago and oversaw its worldwide corporate relations division while directly answering to the CEO. He was in charge of Amazon’s public affairs and policy, with a particular emphasis on the company’s interactions with the White House and politicians.

After working as Vice President Joe Biden’s director of communications, Carney was appointed White House press secretary in 2011.

A request for comment from Amazon did not receive a prompt response.